Improvement in adjustable frames for forming hoop-skirts



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEa HENRY S. LOPER, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND COLLINS, PECK & CO., OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT lN ADJUSTABLE FRAMES FOR FORMING HOOP-SKIRTS.

Specification forming part ol Letters Patent No. 58,949, dated October 1G, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY S. Lorna, of New Haven, in the county ot' New Haven and State ot' Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Hoop-Skirt Forms; and I do hereby declare the following', when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the letters ot' reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and rcpresent, in-

Figure 1, a side View; Fig. 2, a verticalcentral section, and, in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, illustrate the adjustment ofthe form to various shapes and sizes.

My invention relates to an improvement in the construction of forms for making hoopskirts, whereby the several parts of the form may be adjusted to various shapes and sizes.

To enable others skilled in the art to construct and use my improved forms, I will proceed to fully describe the same as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

A is the base which supports the form. B is the waist or band block, adjustably fixed to a support, C. D l) are pieces of wood or other material, adj ustably xed to the baud-block B, and each strip or piece formed according to the position which it occupies on the former. The said pieces D are hinged to slides a, (see Fig. 4,) which slides may be moved so as to carry the upper end of the pieces D to or from the block 15, for the purpose of extending or diminishing the upper portion of the form, and are secured in their proper position by means of set-screws e. The lower ends of the said pieces D arexed to a slide, e, (see Figs. 2, 5, and 6,) which said slides are moved in proper guides E, for the purpose of extending or contracting the lower part of the form, and are secured in the required position by means of set-screws d. 'lhe frame is made so as to be turned around on the base A in the usual manner for skirt-forms.

The band-block Bis movable on its support C, as from the position in black to that denoted in red, for the purpose of giving greater extension to the skirt without changing the form of the frontthat is, to make the extension entirely in the back part of the skirtand is secured in its proper position by means ot" the set-screw The several pieces D may be moved out, as in Figs. 2, 4, and 6, or in, as in Figs. 3 and 5, each to its proper distance to give to all parts of the skirt the form desired.

Skirt-forms have heretofore been made adjustable at the bottom, but all moving` equally from the center and extending alike in all directions. Therefore where a different-sized body is required diiiereut-sized forms are also required.

As the lower part of the skirt is contracted it is necessary to extend the upper portion and, also, as more or less trail is required, the position of the band should remain in the same relative position to the front of the skirt.

By my improvement-by which the bandblock B and the upper and the lower ends of the form are made adjustable-all the requisites for making di'erent shaped and sized skirts are embodied in one form, whereby but comparatively few forms are required for extensive manufacturing.

Having, therefore, thus fully described my invention, which consists in making the bandblock adjustable relatively to the center of the form, combined with the several bars of the form, each made adjustable independent ot' the other in both the band-block and base, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the band-block B, adjustable upon its support C, with the bars D, adjustable in the band-block and upon the base, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

HENRY S. LOPER.

Witnesses:

JOHN E. EARLE,

tUFUs II. SANFORD. 

